<em>Fothergilla</em>: planting, pruning and care

Description and botany

Native to moist woods and turf moors of the southeastern United States, the Fothergilla is a bush belonging to the family Hamamelidaceae, like its close relative witch-hazel. The genus Fothergilla includes two species, Fothergilla gardenii, sometimes nicknamed “dwarf Fothergilla”, and Fothergilla major (monticola). In recent years both have given rise to new hybrid varieties such as Fothergilla x intermedia and cultivars like ‘Blue Shadow’, ‘Blue Mist’ or ‘Red Licorice’.

Fothergilla has a slow growth habit and forms a densely branched bush from the base, with an upright or ovoid habit. Of modest stature with a well-defined silhouette, it is ideally suited to small and medium gardens and, although it may produce a few suckers, it never becomes invasive. Fothergilla gardenii will rarely exceed 60 to 90 cm in all directions, while the larger Fothergilla major will not exceed 2.50 m with almost as much spread when mature.

Fothergilla surprises with its light, fragrant spring flowering. In March, April–May or June depending on climate, curious inflorescences stand upright as terminal spikes 2 to 5 cm long, appearing before the leaves and dotting the still-bare grey twigs, like small brushes. The petal-less flowers are made up of many long, upturned stamens 1 to 3 cm long, set in a chartreuse-green calyx, forming cylindrical spikes reminiscent of small bottle brushes.

They are white, tending towards chartreuse-green or yellow at the start of flowering and sometimes tinged with pink or creamy-white. Fragrant, they give off a delicious sweet honey scent that attracts pollinating insects and excites bees! They develop into ovoid capsules each containing a small shiny seed.

Flowering of Fothergillas: F. gardenii / F. major

This bush also charms with ornamental foliage that lights up in sumptuous autumn colours. Deciduous, its foliage consists of alternate leaves measuring 2 to 12 cm long, obovate to ovate or diamond-shaped, almost rounded, with dentate margins and well-marked parallel veins. Depending on variety, leaves may be glossy as if covered with a waxy bloom or pubescent. With their crinkled appearance and sometimes slightly velvety underside, they somewhat resemble hazel leaves.

Green or a striking electric blue powdered with grey (‘Blue Shadow’) in spring, then turning dark green in summer, the leaves take on autumn shades of fiery orange, scarlet, cherry-red (‘Red Licorice’), or copper flushed with purplish-red areas, filling garden with warm, spicy colours before they fall.

Perfectly hardy, Fothergilla can withstand temperatures around -15°C, sometimes lower, giving it good resilience across many regions.

Autumn foliage of Fothergilla gardenii and steel-blue foliage of Fothergilla intermedia ‘Blue Shadow’

Easy to grow, it prefers a humus-bearing, acidic soil that does not dry out in summer but is well drained, in gentle sun or partial shade. Intolerant of lime, this acidophilous plant will enjoy heather soil. Ideally choose a cool spot, a glade or light shade provided by other bushes.

Its modest size makes it ideal for small gardens, planted at the heart of a cool border with ericaceous plants or in containers on terraces.

Main species and varieties

Only two species of Fothergilla are found: Fothergilla major (height up to 2.5 m) or “grand Fothergilla” which flowers in May–June, and Fothergilla gardenii, a sort of miniature fothergilla with earlier flowering (March–April or May depending on climate) and which, with its small pruning (1 m), suits all gardens.

These two species have given rise to varieties such as ‘Red Licorice’ which display sumptuous autumn colours, from yellow to cherry-red, and ‘Blue Shadow’, a cultivar with bluish leaves in summer.

Most popular

Fothergilla major

Larger than F. gardenii, this Fothergilla will provide a bright touch in spring and autumn! With its white pompom flowers and foliage in splendid red-orange and yellow autumn tones, it is ideal for small gardens or for terrace pots.

• Mois de floraison June, July
• Hauteur à maturité 2 m

See the product sheet

Fothergilla gardenii

This is 'The' dwarf Fothergilla, prized for its sumptuous autumn colours. Superb planted in a pot, grown alone or in a bush border in heather soil!

• Mois de floraison May, June
• Hauteur à maturité 75 cm

See the product sheet

Our favourite

Fothergilla intermedia Blue Shadow

A new remarkable Fothergilla with spectacular steel-blue foliage turning red-orange in autumn! With its modest pruning, it suits pot culture or planting in open ground.

• Mois de floraison May, June
• Hauteur à maturité 1,50 m

See the product sheet

Planting

Where to plant Fothergilla?

Fothergilla can be grown throughout France, except in Mediterranean climate, which is too hot and dry in summer, as this bush native to turf moor strongly dislikes drought. With good hardiness, it withstands temperatures down to -15°C, sometimes lower, ensuring reliable performance in harsher regions.

It thrives in sun, provided it is not too scorching, or in light shade in southern France, for example under the cover of deciduous trees: avoid dense shade so it flowers well and produces magnificent autumn colour. Thus, in northern regions, plant it in sun near a wall sheltered from drying winds to protect its attractive flowering.

Sensitive to lime like its relative witch-hazel and to dry soils, this acidophilous bush needs humus-rich, consistently cool soil and should be grown in neutral to slightly acidic soil, ideally in heather soil or any non-calcareous soil enriched with potting compost.

Compact in habit, Fothergilla finds a place in all gardens, whether large, medium or simple city gardens.

Alone or in groups of 3 or 5, it integrates perfectly into sunny glades, informal flowering hedges with other spring-flowering bushes, in a bed of perennials or with heather-soil bushes, its white flowering standing out against a dark background of evergreen foliage.

Small varieties are perfect for low hedges and pots.

Bushy habit of Fothergilla major

When to plant Fothergilla?

Planting Fothergilla is best done in autumn, from September to November, to encourage rooting before winter. Our potted Fothergilla can however be planted year-round, avoiding periods of frost or extreme heat.

How to plant Fothergilla?

In open ground

Fothergilla dislikes calcareous soils but heather soil is not obligatory; it can adapt to ordinary non-calcareous soil enriched with potting compost. Heather soil should also be enriched with potting compost to ensure good development. If your soil is too calcareous, choose a bush less sensitive to soil type. If you still wish to try growing it: add heather soil and forest potting compost. Plant alone or in groups of 3 or 5 at a rate of one plant per m2.

• Dig a wide hole at least three times the volume of the pot
• Add gravel to the bottom of the hole to ensure good drainage
• Plant your Fothergilla at collar level, in a mixture ideally made of 1/5 loam mixed in equal parts with turf, heather soil, leaf mould and coarse sand
• Keep its roots cool with an organic mulch of pine bark or leaf litter
• Water regularly with non-calcareous water (rainwater), 2 to 3 times a week during the first three weeks following planting

Follow all our advice to succeed in planting your Fothergilla !

In a pot

Choose a dwarf Fothergilla whose compact growth is perfect for this use. It will thrive for many years in a large container, provided regular watering.

• In a pot at least 30 to 40 cm in diameter, make a bed of gravel or clay pebbles at the bottom
• Plant your Fothergilla in a fresh, very free-draining mix based on pure heather soil, well-rotted compost and good non-calcareous garden soil
• Water very regularly with rainwater so the substrate remains consistently moist
• Spread a mulch or plant small perennials to help keep the base cool

Maintenance, pruning and care

Care of Fothergilla is easy, undemanding when grown in suitable substrate, not least because it is a bush almost immune to most diseases. In short, it only dislikes two things: dry soil and calcareous conditions.

If soil is too calcareous for it, bush often suffers from chlorosis: foliage yellows and flowering is reduced. Better to try transplanting into a new planting hole before it perishes, enriching soil with heather soil and potting compost.

For watering, young plants need very regular attention during first three summers after planting. In ground or in pot, soil must never dry out completely.

Closer monitoring of watering, especially during hot spells or prolonged drought, preferably using rainwater, will be essential, as will a generous organic mulch (bark or pine needles, tapetum of leaves) to prevent soil at its base from drying out.

This small bush needs little or no pruning; when required, carry out a very light refresh in spring in February–March, before vegetative growth resumes. This helps rebalance its habit:

• Remove dead, wayward or tangled branches
• After flowering: remove faded flowers

To learn all about care for heather soil bushes, see our advice page.

Fothergilla major in very early flowering

Propagation

Sowing possible with seeds harvested from plant at least two years old, as they will only germinate after experiencing two winters. We recommend cuttings in summer on soft wood of your Fothergilla.

By herbaceous cuttings

• In June, take shoots still tender 10–20 cm long
• Remove all lower leaves and make a clean cut just below a node
• Plant cuttings in well-draining compost
• Keep moist regularly and enclosed in shade
• Pot up into buckets as soon as they have formed roots
• Keep them frost-free until following spring then plant in ground or in pot

By layering or removal of suckers

Fothergilla tends to produce suckers and to stolonise naturally: propagation is possible by taking, at start of spring, a rooted sucker and simply replanting it in non-calcareous soil. Layering is also possible but slow given this bush’s slow root development.

Associate

With its immaculate white flowering and fiery foliage, Fothergilla is essential for bringing a garden to life in spring and autumn. It has its place in a romantic garden and in white gardens, where it will add plenty of brightness.

Preferring acid soils, it pairs easily in an informal hedge or a cool border with ericaceous plants such as Hamamelis, Magnolia, Pieris, ferns, Kalmias, deciduous Azaleas, Hydrangeas, Camellias, Rhododendrons, Sarcococca or Daphnes that will flower before it or take over from its flowering.

An idea for a combination in a light woodland and acid soil: Fothergilla major, Geranium macrorrhizum ‘White Ness’, Polygonatum falcatum ‘Variegatum’, Rhododendron fragrantissimum, Matteuccia struthiopteris under the canopy of Betula utilis var. jacquemontii

In spring, its flowers will look superb alongside spring-flowering perennials such as bleeding-hearts, melittis, Solomon’s seal, tiarella, primroses, hellebores, hostas.

Dress the base of the bush with winter heathers, brunneras, campanulas or spring bulbs such as tulips and daffodils.

Later, its foliage in flamboyant hues will harmonise with other bushes with autumn foliage such as Japanese maples, barberries, dogwoods, deciduous euonymus, lindera, sumacs and with certain perennials such as love-in-a-mist and chrysanthemums of the Rubellum group.